Chicken Nuggets
by Caffiene-K
Summary: Based off a tumblr post/picture: "My girlfriend just woke up from a nap and the first thing she said was, "I forgot, I still have chicken nuggets." And then she ate cold nuggets and went back to sleep, and I don't think I've ever loved someone this much."


_A/N: I saw this picture and thought it was cute_ :)

 _Note: Wife, instead of girlfriend._

* * *

He had been drumming his pencil against the edge of the long table, when his phone sounded. Castle reached for the device slowly, trying not to garner Gina's attention, but failing miserably. She glared at him, from her spot near the top of her table, a silent communication for him to pay attention.

Castle was trapped in a Black Pawn meeting. Gina, Paula, himself and a scattering of Black Pawn executives, as well as his reps, talking about his contract renewal. The Nikki Heat story was drawing to an end, with Heat and Rook getting married, and a baby on the way. And unlike Derrick Storm, his fans had gotten their fairy tale ending.

The Black Pawn meetings often dragged on. And Gina was a big help with that; going over every single detail and ensuring his boredom for at least 2 hours. But he was somewhat grateful for her. She had ensured that his Black Pawn experience had more ups, than downs, and had gone relatively smoothly.

The contract meeting had started sometime around ten, and looking down at his phone in his lap–the meeting had been going on for 3 hours. He checked the message on his phone, involuntarily smiling when he saw his wife's name at the sender's spot. Gina cleared her throat before he could read the message, her eyes narrowing at him, when he looked up.

"Pay attention, Rick," she warned, straightening back to the front.

"...So the contract will include a different story line deal, we were thinking about the British agent idea, we had visited a few years ago." The executive said.

 _Baby's hungry._

The executive had kept his attention for a total of...10 seconds, before Castle's eyes had drifted down to the phone in his lap. He smiled at the message, the slightly random text upping his spirits if only slightly.

Nowadays, his wife was always hungry, or moody, or sleepy. Castle didn't mind one bit, willing to cater to his wife's every need. He still couldn't believe that he was going to be a dad again.

 _Is baby hungry, or you?_ He replied, texting under the table, like a teenager in class. He made sure to look up every few seconds, hoping that Gina hadn't noticed his shifted attention. She hadn't, not again, seemingly too enthralled with what a new executive was saying.

 _Come home. Feed me._

His wife's blunt cuteness erupted a laugh from the writer, the bubbling sound making it's way out onto the board room table, to the unimpressed look of the others.

"Mr Castle, is there something you would like to share?" One of the executives—Greg Mathers, he thinks—asked, reminding him of one of his old high school teachers.

Castle shook his head with a facade of seriousness. "Sorry, continue," he replied, avoiding Gina's insistent glare.

The executive continued to drone on for at least half an hour, contributing to the already boring meeting.

 _What's baby hungry for?_ He managed to text, whenit was Gina's turn to start speaking.

 _Chicken nuggets._

Kate had been craving some of the most unusual foods. From oatmeal and kale smoothies, to even having a soft spot for his smorlettes. But chicken nuggets–chicken nuggets was somewhat _normal._

 _I'll be there in an hour._

Kate's reply came almost instantly, her message making his mouth dry with the double meaning.

 _But I want you now._

His head snapped to Gina,who was going over the last of her questions.

"So, now that the final details are finished, Mr. Castle, his representatives and I will be back on Monday, to sign the type-up." Gina finished, her professional side fluently expressed.

Castle mentally thanked her, being the first to spring up from the table. He quickly made his rounds, shaking hands with the executives and thanking them, before dashing out of the room.

* * *

Only 10 minutes later, and Castle was stumbling into the loft. His arms were filled with numerous fast-food bags and containers, as well as a few paper bags.

"Kate?" He called out to the silent loft. He made his way into the kitchen, where his wife was leaning against the bench, spoon in her mouth. "What ya got there?" Castle questioned, looking at the bowl of—he din't even know what—curiously.

"Pecan pie, with peanut butter brownie and cinnamon icing. With mango sorbet," she informed, taking another spoonful. "And ravioli," she added sheepishly.

Castle laughed at his wife's absurd cravings, walking around to her side, and pulling her into him.

Her baby bump expanded the space between them, but even at 24 weeks, her stomach was still relatively small.

Castle pressed a soft kiss to her lips, tucking a bag-full hand behind her bag, while the other one stayed at his side. "I bring food, for my starving women," he announced, holding up the bags and boxes.

Kate's grin brightened, as she reached for his hand, tugging him to the couch.

"Were you in a mini-marathon or something?" Castle asked, looking at the paused TV.

"I finished Temptation Lane already. I was in the middle of Nebula 9," Kate informed him. She shifted closer to him, her hip bumping his leg, as he put the food on the coffee table.

"I was actually talking about the ice cream marathon," he teased, pointing out the numerous, empty pints of ice cream scattered around.

"Shut up," she mumbled. "Feed me, Castle."

Castle groaned, squeezing his eyes shut at her breathy tone. "Okay,well I brought sweet and sour sauce, because I know that's your favorite. And I wasn't sure what kind you wanted, so I brought a 20 pack from everywhere place I could fins. There's also frozen chicken nuggets, just in case you wanted home-cooked ones."

Kate looked around at the huge amount of chicken nuggets; at least 10 different packets and boxes set out. She reached for a random box, dipping it into the sauce. She let out a moan in approval.

"Definitely one of the normal cravings," Castle mumbled, pressing a kiss to the side of her forehead.

"Eating, Castle," Kate mumbled, not even caring that her mouth was filled with nuggets.

"Oh right, sorry." He apologized, forgetting that Kate;s hormones caused her to get either happy or annoyed, when she was eating. When she was hungry, she was usually angry at the same time.

Castle reached for the remote, clicking the play button and watching as a space-ship filled the screen. Kate leaned back, holding a different box of nuggets n her hand.

They stayed quiet for a few minutes; Kate's head falling to his chest,and Castle pulling the blanket, from the back of the couch, on top of her. After the episode they were watching finished, rolling over to the next one, Castle felt warm breaths at his neck.

He looked down to see his wife curled into him, her face turned into the fabric of his shirt. He was content in leaving her there, her face relaxed in a state of bliss. One head was stationed at her stomach, a habit that she had easily picked up on. Her other hand was still limply holding the box of nuggets.

Castle let her rest there for a few more moments, before reaching over to pull the box and sauce away.

Kate began to stir, her head moving against his chest. Castle stopped slightly, hopping that she wouldn't wake up, because it had been a while since she had got more than 5 hours sleep, unless she napped during the day.

Once she had stopped moving, he tried to pry her fingers away from the box.

Kate's eyes fluttered, her head lifting and leaving Castle to miss the warmth. "Wait," she said sleepily, a yawn escaping. "I forgot, I still have chicken nuggets," she said, taking the box back.

Castle felt a surge of warmth spread through him, as he watched his wife eat the cold nuggets. She finished off the box, placing it back onto the table, where a few unopened and empty, boxes lay. She resumed her spot when she finished, her head falling back onto his chest.

He welcomed the warmth, swallowing tightly at what he just witnessed.

There had been so many moments with Kate: the Allison Tisdale case, the freezer, Montgomery's funeral, tigers, that summer, the swings, their promise of coffee and always, the night of Alexis' graduation, their wedding...but it was the little moments he loved. The silent communication of love, through their coffee. The small, secretive smiles they exchanged. But this, this had to top it off.

Her sleepy yawn she had tried to stifle, and the fact that she had just eaten cold nuggets. The small things like this was why he loved her that much more; why it makes him fall a little bit more in love with her. And this moment, of her eating cold nuggets, could've topped the list of reasons of why Richard Castle loved Kate Beckett.

Because besides Alexis and his mother, he doesn't think he's ever loved someone so much.


End file.
